National Library of Australia
Annual Report 2001-2002
 Report on Operations - Index
Output 1.2 Information Services
Contents
Director General's Review
Corporate Overview
Report on Operations
Financial Statements
Appendices
Resources
  
 Print Report on Operations
 Download PDF of Report on Operations (457kb)
 Go to Report on Operations 2000-01
 Glossary
 Did you know?
 Search
 Help

Report on Operations

Output 1.1—The Collection

Output Description

A comprehensive collection of Australian library material, and a selection of non-Australian publications supporting the study of Australia and its place in the world, are collected, organised, preserved and stored by the Library for current and future access.

 

 

 

Performance—Outputs

. MEASURE
TARGET
ACHIEVED
Effectiveness

Appropriate & effective collecting
Percentage of Australian publications within the Collection Development Policy that have been collected

Effective access to the Collection
Percentage of new items catalogued on the National Bibliographic Database

Effective access to the Collection
Percentage of targeted older material catalogued on the National Bibliographic Database (equivalent to 81 000 catalogued records)


85%

 

100%

 

100%


86%

 

99%

 

100%

Quality

Percentage of the items checked in, catalogued or indexed within standards/timeframes

Percentage of the Collection preserved within set standards and specified timeframes

Percentage of the Collection maintained within set standards and specified timeframes

95%


95%


85%

96%


95%


83%

 

Quantity

Collection items stored and maintained

Collection items acquired and/or processed

5 287 000

453 000

5 310 483

498 498

Price

Cost per Collection item maintained

Cost per Collection item acquired and/or processed

$0.61

$43.20

$0.59

$39.45

Effectiveness

Appropriate & effective collecting graph Effective access to the Collection  graph Effective access to the Collection graph

click charts to enlarge

Comments on Performance—Effectiveness

Performance in cataloguing of new Collection items was slightly lower than target, due to minor delays in cataloguing Pictorial Collection items towards the end of the year.

Quality

Items checked in, catalogued or indexed graph Percentage of Collection preserved graph Percentage of Collection maintained graph

click charts to enlarge

Comments on Performance—Quality

Targets for processing and preservation of Collection items were met. 

The Library aims to store all Collection material in suitable environmental conditions; the target of 85 per cent reflects expectations about what could be achieved with existing air conditioning. The target was substantially met, with an average performance of 83 per cent.

The Library is planning improvements to its air conditioning system to improve humidity control in some storage areas.

Quantity

Collection items stored and maintained graph Collection items acquired and/or processed graph

click charts to enlarge

Comments on Performance—Quantity

The Library acquired a number of exceptional collections during the year, including several large Australian photographic collections. The target was exceeded, with 498 498 items acquired and/or processed.

Price

Cost per Collection item maintained graph Cost per Collection item acquired and/or processed graph

click charts to enlarge

Key Issues/Developments

Developing the Collection

The four-year Bringing Them Home Oral History Project, one of the outcomes of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families, concluded at the end of the year. During the project, 310 interviews were held with Indigenous Australians and others. Preparation began on a book based on the interviews, due for publication in late 2002.

As well as legal deposit, purchase, and exchange, Library collections grew through gift and donation. During the year, and as part of its centenary celebrations, the Library launched BookSearch, appealing to the public for a number of items or categories of material missing from its collections. A generous response enabled the Library to fill many gaps.

A large number of older Australian printed books, pamphlets and maps were acquired during the year, including a number of eighteenth and early nineteenth century works from dealers or at auction. Notable acquisitions were a Jean Baptiste Nolin wall map of 1700, showing the conjectured east coast of Australia, and an 1805 watercolour portrait of the explorer Charles Sturt. Other outstanding items and collections received included facsimile volumes of the manuscript papers of Leonardo da Vinci, and the Farnese Hours; a collection on theosophy assembled by the late Dr John Cooper; the earliest Greek-language book published in Australia; two significant early celestial atlases; and a collection on Chinese art assembled by the late Bronwyn Thomas.

Providing access to the Collection

The Library made progress in replacing its 10-year-old management system, on which most of the Library acquisition and cataloguing processes are carried out, and which operates as the Online Public Catalogue. A request for expressions of interest was followed by a limited Request for Tender. An evaluation process has resulted in the recommendation of a preferred supplier.

The Library is seeking to have the legal deposit provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 extended to cover audio-visual publications and electronic resources, and contributed to the preparation of a government discussion paper on the subject.

Arrangements were made for subscription to an electronic journal service, which will give users access to approximately 3200 additional overseas serial titles.

Maintaining the Collection

During the year, the Library finalised development of a national strategy for managing collections held on deteriorating cellulose acetate film, including many microfilm, photographic and sound-recording collections. The strategy was developed in conjunction with State libraries, archives and other collecting institutions. The Library also began identifying and treating its own extensive cellulose acetate holdings.

The Library continued to develop infrastructure and tools to support the long-term maintenance of digital resources, including the National Collection of Australian Online Publications. The Library released a digital preservation policy and action plan setting out its intentions and agenda for maintaining access despite changes in technology over time.

Digital conversion of the Library’s large collection of Oral History recordings has progressed steadily over a number of years. Investment in new archiving equipment and procedures this year has significantly increased efficiency.

 

 Report on Operations - Index
Go to top of page
Output 1.2 Information Services


NLA Home | Annual Report Home | Download | Order | Contact Us
Letter of Transmittal | Chairman's Report | Summary of Financial Performance | Compliance.Index